HOUSE JOINT MEMORIAL 83

46th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - second session, 2004

INTRODUCED BY

Luciano "Lucky" Varela

A JOINT MEMORIAL

REQUESTING THE PUBLIC EDUCATION DEPARTMENT TO STUDY THE FEASIBILITY OF IMPLEMENTING REPORT CARDS ON STUDENT HEALTH AND FITNESS.

     WHEREAS, the health and fitness of American children has markedly declined over the years as children have become less active and more obese, exhibiting poorer eating and nutrition habits than their counterparts of a generation ago; and

     WHEREAS, good physical health is critically important to a child's mental health and ability to learn and achieve; and

     WHEREAS, a study of a program implemented in Boston-area schools showed that parents became more involved in trying to help their overweight children lose weight when they were made aware of the child's weight and fitness through school-issued report cards; and

     WHEREAS, obesity is a national problem, and interventions during childhood and adolescence can help to prevent not only childhood obesity but also adult obesity;

     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO that the public education department be requested to study the feasibility of implementing a statewide health and fitness report card program, with the goal of objectively measuring student weight and fitness levels, informing parents of those results and encouraging parents to actively work with their children to improve their weight and fitness levels; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the public education department report its findings and recommendations, if any, to the legislative education study committee prior to the first session of the forty-seventh legislature; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this memorial be transmitted to the secretary of public education and the director of the legislative education study committee.

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